Cigarette package construction



May 21, 1963 Filed Jan. 28, 1959 G. U. SANDACZ 2 Sheets-Sheet l r up 5e 3 fle 1/3 a INVENTOR.

f i BY 65am: (1 SAM/4C2 w M w 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 550005 (A SA/VOA CZ BY FffcJz/rsy May 21, 1963 Filed Jan. 28, 1959 United tates atom 3,090,482 CIGARETTE PACKAGE CONSTRUCTION George Sandacz, 313 Arlington N., Niles, Ohio Filed Jan. 28, 1959, Ser. No. 739,590 8 Claims. (Cl. 206-41) The present invention relates to a combined cigarette package and ash receptacle construction and the principal object of the invention is to provide new and improved constructions of such character.

Combined ash receptacles and cigarette containers have heretofore been proposed; however, for various reasons, none have achieved commercial success. Some constructions have failed because their cost or their inherent design was such that it was impracticable to use them as a standard package in which the cigarettes could be sold. Others were bulky, clumsy to manipulate, and/or interfered with the principal use of the package as a container from which individual cigarettes may be removed as required.

The present invention adds but little to the cost of a cigarette package thus removing a major Obstacle to its widespread use. It does not interfere with the primary use of the construction as a cigarette container; indeed, close examination is required to distinguish a package made in accordance with the present invention from the conventional cigarette pack-age in use at the present time. These and other advantages will readily become apparent from a study of the following description and from the drawings appended hereto.

In the drawings accompanying this specification and forming a part of this application there is shown, for purpose of illustration, embodiments which the invention may assume, and in these drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a closed cigarette package constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention,

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the embodiment seen in FIGURE 1 but showing the package open to provide access to its interior and with its ash receptacle ready for use,

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged broken sectional view generally corresponding to the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged broken sectional view generally corresponding to the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view generally corresponding to the line 55 of FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 but of another embodiment of the invention, and

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 but of the embodiment seen in FIGURE 6.

The present package is similar to a type in common present-day use and sometimes referred to as a crush- -roof box. This package is formed of stiff paper or asteboard arranged to respectively provide top and bottom walls 10, 11, relatively large side walls 13, 14, and relatively small side walls 15, 16 (-see FIGURES 1 and 3). The present package, or box, is similar to the one in common use in that the top wall It} has a circumscribing skirt 17, respective portions of which complete the upper portions of respective side walls. The portion of skirt 17 which completes the wall 14, hereinafter referred to as the rear wall, is not detached from this Wall but is formed as an integral part thereof. The junction between such skirt portion and the rear wall 14 being defined by a crease or the like about which the box top (formed by the top wall and its circumscribing skirt) is pivotable from the closed position seen in FIGURE 1 to the open position seen in FIGURE 2.

For a purpose to appear and in the embodiment seen in FIGURES 1 through 5, the relatively large side wall 13, hereinafter to be referred to as the front wall, and

the relatively small side walls 15, 16 are of double thickness. With particular reference to FIGURE 3, side wall 15 is formed of inner and outer portions 115, 215 while side wall 16 is formed of inner and outer portions 116, 216. Similarly, front wall 13 is formed of inner and outer portions 113-, 213. For reasons to be seen, an opening 18 is provided between wall portions 115, 215, which opening faces front wall 13 and extends substantially the full height of wall 15. A similar opening 19 is provided between the side wall portions 116, 216.

To provide for movement of outer wall portion 213 away from its inner portion 113, wall portion 213 is secured to the box by its lower margin so that it is pivotable about such lower margin (see especially FIG- URE 4) from a position overlying such inner portion to a position spaced therefrom. With the outer portion 213 spaced from its inner portion as seen in FIGURES 2, 5 and in phantom lines in FIGURE 4, a receptacle is provided between such inner and outer portions for the receipt of ashes or the like. To complete the receptacle thus provided, portions 20;, 21 extend transversely of opposed margins of outer wall portion 213 and are disposed between the inner and outer portions of respective walls 15, 16 and in order to refrain from interfering with the pivotal movement aforesaid of outer wall portion 213, portions 20, 21 are freely slidable between the respective portions of respective walls 15, 16.

As best seen in FIGURE 2, the upper part of outer wall portion 213 is provided with a tab 22 which, as seen in FIGURE 4, underlies the skirt 1'7 of the top wall when the package is closed to thus retain wall portion 213 in abutting relation with wall portion 113. Tab 22 is preferably offset as shown to permit the appropriate portion of skirt 17 to lie in the same plane as the wall portion 213.

With the construction thus far disclosed, it will be understood that when a cigarette is to be removed from the interior of the boX, the top thereof will -be opened as seen in FIGURE 2 and thereafter closed to retain the remaining cigarettes therein. This is, of course, in accordance with the use of conventional crush-proof cigarette packages. If, however, use is to be made of the present constructions ash receptacle feature, wall portion 213 will be pivoted away from wall portion 113 to the position seen in FIGURE 2 prior to closing the box top. With wall portion 213 thus positioned, it will be evident that a receptacle for ashes or the like, bounded by wall portions 113, 213 and marginal portions 20, 21 will be provided.

When the present box or package is no longer to be used as an ash receptacle, wall portion 213 will be returned to the positions seen in FIGURE 1 and in full lines in FIG- URE 4 and the top then closed to retain the wall portion in place.

Since hot ashes may at times be placed in the ash receptacle, it is preferable that it be made fire-proof, or at least fire-resistant. This could be accomplished by treating the defining walls of the ash receptacle with a suitable chemical which would render them resistant to combustion. It is preferred, however, at the present time, to line the ash receptacle with metal foil. To this end, a metal foil liner 23 is cemented or otherwise secured to the facing surfaces of wall portions 113, 213 and marginal portions 20, 21. This foil liner is preferably continuous about the inner periphery of the ash receptacle, particularly across the juncture of marginal portions 20, 21 with inner wall portions 115, 116, to prevent escape of ashes therefrom, such liner having sufficient slack therein at 24 (see FIG- URE 5) to permit the ash receptacle to be closed without straining such foil liner and thus tending to rupture it.

The construction of the embodiment seen in FIGURES 6 and 7 is similar to that heretofore disclosed and therefore the same reference characters but with the suflix a added, identify similar parts. The principal distinction between these embodiments is that while in the embodiment seen in FIGURES 1 through 5 the ash receptacle is provided by the front wall 13, in the embodiment seen in FIGURES 6 and 7 the ash receptacle is provided by the rear wall 14a. To this end, rear wall 14a will be formed of inner and outer portions similar to the previously disclosed inner and outer portions of wall 13. Moreover, the openings (corresponding to the openings 18 and 19) between the inner and outer portions of respective side walls 15a, 16a will, in this embodiment, face toward the rear wall 14a to respectively receive the marginal portions which extend transversely of the outer portion of wall 14a.

In the embodiment seen in FIGURES 6 and 7, somewhat different means are employed to retain the ash receptacle closed when it is not in use. In this embodiment, the outer portion of wall 14a is provided with a tab 25 which fits within a slot 26 formed in the inner portion of wall 14a to lie within the box and thus retain the outer wall portion in position adjacent its inner wall portion.

To open the ash receptacle, it is only necessary to withdraw the tab from its slot and to swing the outer wall portion away from its inner portion to the position seen in FIGURE 6. Re-ciosing the ash receptacle against accidental opening merely requires the tap to be re-inserted in its slot following movement of the outer wall portion to position against its inner wall portion. 7

In view of the foregoing it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that I have accomplished at least the principal object of my invention and it will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments herein described may be variously changed and modified, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that the invention is capable of uses and has advantages not herein specifically described, hence it will be appreciated that the herein disclosed embodiments are illustrative only, and that my invention is not limited thereto.

I claim:

l. A combined cigarette package and ash receiver, comprising an oblong receptacle for cigarettes which is 'of the crush-proof variety in that it is made of relatively stiff material, said receptacle having wide front and rear walls and side walls connecting the front and rear walls and also having bottom and top walls, an auxiliary side wall outwardly of each side wall forming thin wide elongated recesses therewith which open at opposite side edges of and extend lengthwise of one of said wide walls, an additional relatively stiff wall overlying said one wide wall and having its lower end pivotally connected to said receptacle adjacent to its bottom wall so that the upper portion of said additional wall may be swung away from its position overlying said one wide wall to dispose it at an angle to the latter, said additional wall having side marginal portions extending angularly therefrom to respectively and slidably fit edgewise within said elongated recesses, a flexible strip connected to and extending between each of said marginal portions and said one wide wall and forming flexible side webs between the two when said additional wall is in its angular relation to thus provide the ash receiver, said marginal portions acting to tuck respective .flexible strips into respective elongated recesses for out-ofthe-way storage when said additional wall is in its said overlying position.

2. The construction according to claim 1 wherein the upper portion of said additional Wall provides a tab which releasably connected'to said cigarette receptacle to hold said additional wall in its position overlying said one wide wall.

3. The construction according to claim 1 wherein a cover provides the top wall of said cigarette receptacle, said cover being pivotally connected to said receptacle and having a part engaging over the upper portion of said additional wall to hold the latter in its position overlying said one wide wall.

4. The construction according to claim 1 wherein said flexible strips are of metallic foil and folded upon them selves during out-of-the-way storage.

5. A combined cigarette package and ash receiver, comprising an oblong receptacle for cigarettes which is of the crush-proof variety in that it is made of relatively stiff material, said receptacle having wide front and rear walls and side walls, and a bottom wall between said front and rear walls, the foregoing walls being connected. to provide a box open at its upper end for receiving the cigarettes and protecting them against crushing, and said receptacle also having a top hinged to said rear wall and adapted to cover the upper open end of said box, additional side walls overlying the aforementioned side walls and cooperating therewith to provide thin wide elongated recesses which open at opposite side edges of said front wall and each of which extends lengthwise and rearwardly of a respective one of said aforementioned side walls, and an ash receiver comprising an auxiliary front wall adapted to overlie the first named front wall and having its lower end pivoted to the lower front end of said receptacle so that its upper end is swingable toward and away from said first named front wall, said auxiliary front wall being about as Wide as said first named front wall and having side wings extending from its opposite side edges in an angular direction toward said first named front wall and each wing being smaller than and disposed for sliding movement within a respective elongated recess.

6. The construction according to claim 5 wherein the facing surfaces of said first named front wall and said auxiliary front wall have a fire-proof coating.

7. The construction according to claim 5 wherein a foil bag has opposite walls secured respectively to said first named front wall and said auxiliary front wall and has flexible side walls which collapse and extend from collapsed relation to thereby provide for swinging movement of said auxiliary front wall from a position adjacent to said front wall to a position inclined away from said front wall, in which latter position said foil bag provides a fireproof receptacle open at its upper end for receiving ashes and the like.

8. The construction according to claim 5 wherein said auxiliary front wall has a tab extending upwardly from its upper margin, which tab is disposed behind said top when the latter is in covering position whereby said auxiliary front wall is closely held against said first named front wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,919,100 Field July 18, 1933 1,998,717 Guyer Apr. 23, 1935 2,017,129 Osterberg Oct. 15, 1935 2,085,062 Allen June 29, 1937 2,349,488 Dement May 23, 1944- 2,396,827 Card Mar. 19, 1946 2,958,417 Adams Nov. 1, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 23,587 Finland Oct. 14, 1949 734,212 Great Britain .Iuly 27, 1955 

1. A COMBINED CIGARETTE PACKAGE AND ASH RECEIVER, COMPRISING AN OBLONG RECEPTACLE FOR CIGARETTES WHICH IS OF THE "CRUSH-PROOF" VARIETY IN THAT IT IS MADE OF RELATIVELY STIFF MATERIAL, SAID RECEPTACLE HAVING WIDE FRONT AND REAR WALL AND SIDE WALLS CONNECTING THE FRONT AND REAR WALLS AND ALSO HAVING BOTTOM AND TOP WALLS, AN AUXILIARY SIDE WALL OUTWARDLY OF EACH SIDE WALL FORMING THIN WIDE ELONGATED RECESSES THEREWITH WHICH OPEN AT OPPOSITE SIDE EDGES OF AND EXTEND LENGTHWISE OF ONE OF SAID WIDE WALLS, AN ADDITIONAL RELATIVELY STIFF WALL OVERLYING SAID ONE WIDE WALL HAVING ITS LOWER END PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID RECEPTACLE ADJACENT TO ITS BOTTOM WALL SO THAT THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID ADDITIONAL WALL MAY BE SWUNG AWAY FROM ITS POSITION OVERLYING SAID ADDITIONAL WALL HAVING SIDE MARGINAL PORTIONS LATTER, SAID ADDITIONAL WALL HAVING SIDE MARGINAL PORTIONS EXTENDING ANGULARLY THEREFROM TO RESPECTIVELY AND SLIDABLY FIT EDGEWISE WITHIN SAID ELONGATED RECESSES, A FLEXIBLE STRIP CONNECTED TO AND EXTENDING BETWEEN EACH OF SAID MARGINAL PORTIONS AND SAID ONE WIDE WALL AND FORMING FLEXIBLE SIDE WEBS BETWEEN THE TWO WHEN SAID ADDITIONAL WALL IS IN ITS ANGULAR RELATION TO THUS PROVIDE THE ASH RECEIVER, SAID MARGINAL PORTIONS ACTING TO TUCK RESPECTIVE FLEXIBLE STRIPS INTO RESPECTIVE ELONGATED RECESSES FOR OUT-OFTHE-WAY STORAGE WHEN SAID ADDITINAL WALL IS IN ITS SAID OVERLYING POSITION. 